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Copyright, royalties and piracy in Africa

Together with intellectual property, copyright and royalties is a major talking point in the arts. In music it can be the difference between artists making a living from their recorded efforts or not. With the advent of online streaming, piracy has become more rampant than ever before, and whereas copied CDs, DVDs and tapes were once the sole problem in the generation of revenue for artists and labels, online streaming and downloading of pirated works has effectively rendered the music industry’s regulation efforts fruitless.

Although music streaming is convenient for listeners, it has opened a can of worms for artists trying to sell their music.

Although first-world countries, especially those in Western Europe and Scandinavia, have done well to keep piracy in check by monitoring and reprimanding the proprietors of shady websites, Africa is still behind in many ways. Even when it comes to paying royalties to artists, many collective management organisations (CMOs) across the continent are doing a lousy job by not paying out musicians their rightful earnings or by simply reneging on their promise to provide a decent service. There are stories almost every day about battles within CMO boards that resemble political circuses where the individuals involved seem to only seek power and fame. And it seems many governments don’t really care about the plight of artists who struggle to make a living from their music.

Many African artists have also given up on trying to sell their recorded works. Singles and sometimes entire albums are often used as mere publicity tools to get fans to attend live shows. Similarly, videos and mp3s are uploaded on streaming services where views/plays have taken over as the real currency that dictates to fans whether a song is worthy of their ears.

Nonetheless, there are many genuine players in the African music industry who work tirelessly to see musicians and composers remunerated for their efforts, and Music In Africa prides itself in sharing with our readership their success stories, while exposing those who are in it for the wrong reasons.

Below is a list of some of the English content already on the site that is relevant to the subject of copyrights and royalties – essential reading for anyone involved in the African music industry. We have commissioned Overview texts and useful resources covering the legislative and administrative practices in many African countries and will be adding news, features and other resources as the month progresses.

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